Boomers
The Boomers are an isolationist tribe in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281. Background At the beginning of the war, Nellis Air Force Base scrambled an enormous number of fighters and bombers to respond to the missile launch. None of those planes ever returned. Additionally, despite the best efforts of a man named Mr. House, some of the missiles that struck the greater Las Vegas area impacted Nellis. As a result, the area was not an attractive site for salvagers for over a hundred years after the war. A little over fifty years before 2281, a group of Vault 34’s dissidents struck out on their own and started using Nellis as a base. Over a long period of time, they eventually decided to call Nellis their home. They learned a great deal of information from the records at Nellis and used the information to open the weapons storehouses at unknown locations called Area 2 and the Hawthorne Army Depot. The result of their efforts was an enormous stockpile of heavy ordnance, artillery, and small nuclear weapons. Due to the tribe’s paranoia, hostility, and excessive reverence for explosives, the New Vegas locals started calling them "Boomers." The Boomers didn’t mind the name as long as it meant people kept their distance. No matter who approaches them (Mr. House, the Three Families, NCR, or Caesar's Legion), the Boomers have the same response: artillery. While the Boomers’ attitude has kept away trouble, all of the major players around New Vegas want to get on the tribe’s good side. The Boomers have a clean water supply from Lake Mead, power from solar panels inside the base, and thriving farms that they’ve learned to develop "the hard way" over the decades they’ve been in the base. Once, the NCR attempted to shut off the Boomers’ water supply. The Boomers’ response was to shell sections of the NCR’s water pipeline in eastern New Vegas. The NCR promptly restored the flow. In the months that followed that experiment, no one has tried to approach the Boomers, which is just how they like it. Society Having left Vault 34 and finding the Nellis Air Force Base, the Boomers had to find new clothes that reflected their independence. They found old military jackets in the base and used them over their vault jumpsuits. Each jacket sports several military medals for decoration, and embroidered on the back is the number "34," as to never forget where they came from. They are a self-sufficient society, producing food, weaponry, and power all inside their base. As a result, they need no relations with the outside world. They believe that self-armament is the key to a peaceful society, meaning that each Boomer carries a weapon and will not hesitate to use it when the time calls for it. The Boomers are attached to their history, whether past or present. A large fresco in their museum tells of their great epic: Structure Their structure is very basic; there is a leader, a doctor, a teacher, guards, mechanical technicians, and a keeper of the story to keep their history. Only the leader can give orders to the others and has absolute power over everything. Military The Boomers have an extremely small but efficient military hierarchy, consisting of basic guards, mortar teams, the acting Master at Arms, and the Elder. A combination of guards armed with man-portable explosive launchers and howitzer teams will bomb the area south of Nellis when somebody enters targeting range, with the exception of the intruder making it close enough to the fence, in which case they will either detain the intruder or kill them. The commanding officer, called the Master of Arms, coordinates the guards in both defensive and offensive (mainly diversionary) operations, and the Elder of the Boomers has the ability to issue new orders and alter or override existing orders with all forms of military and security procedures without contest. Relations with the outside They are hostile towards anyone who tries to approach their base and refuse to trade with anyone. However, due to the powerful weapons they control, the main factions surrounding the area have expressed their interest with them. The NCR hopes to establish diplomatic and trade relations with the Boomers, while Caesar's Legion seeks to absorb them into their ranks. Mr. House wants their weapons aimed at his enemies. Technology Coming from one of the most heavily-armed Vaults in existence, Boomers are extremely well-equipped. They each have a Pip-Boy 3000 and are well versed in the use of explosives. They have missile launchers, grenade launchers, fat mans, and many old military howitzers that they use to repel anyone trying to make their way to the base. Many Mister Gutsy robots have been reprogrammed by the Boomers to protect them. These robots can also break down and transport large objects quickly and efficiently, as stated by Loyal regarding the extraction of the bomber they are aiming to acquire. Within the hangar are flight simulators that can teach any Boomer to fly; these pods are highly similar to the ones found in the Hidden Valley bunker. They have no working planes, but this doesn't keep them from flying, at least virtually. These simulators need access codes to function. The base produces its energy through solar panels, cultivates its own crops inside, and draws an unlimited supply of water from Lake Mead thanks to their close proximity. During the Courier's time with the Boomers, Master-At-Arms officer Raquel will state that the Boomers' ordnance is getting low, down to a five-year supply. Similarly, Jack will request more scrap metal for future use. These requests demonstrate a mastery over logistics and stockpiling, which many factions in the Mojave simply lack. Notes * Pearl, the eldest Boomer, and leader of the tribe, predicted that one day an Outsider would get past the defenses of Nellis and help connect the Boomers with the rest of the world, even if "only a little." At this point, the player character can choose to either kill Pearl (which will drop their reputation with the Boomers to Vilified) or fulfill their promise. The player character can also ignore Pearl's request. * If the player character has a Liked reputation and helps out enough with the Boomers, they will be offered to raise the Lady in the Lake by Pearl. During the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, the Boomers will assist the Courier and their chosen faction by bombarding the enemy from the plane. One can actually see the plane flying and dropping the bombs. * Despite the Boomers having never left Nellis Air Force Base in decades and the Courier being the first outsider they have let into their gates, NCR currency can be found in the Boomer's solar energy generator building. * If the Courier has a negative reputation with the Boomers, they can be extremely difficult to fight (but extremely profitable because of the pricey weapons they often carry), mainly due to the fact that they carry heavy weapons such as the missile launcher, and one or two Fat Mans if the player character is unlucky. The Boomers with Fat Man launchers can be especially challenging, because of the frequency with which the Fat Man cripples limbs, and simply the outright damage. * Despite The Boomers' outright hatred towards all outsiders, becoming not just Accepted or Liked, but Idolized is pretty easy. Saying nice or intelligent things about the Boomers to Pete, turning in scrap metal to Jack, and completing their relatively simple quests/tasks all give the Courier good amounts of reputation. * The Boomers are not hostile to the player character in person when first encountered. * The Boomers will comment on certain companions that are currently following the player character: ** While having Veronica Santangelo as a companion, a Boomer will sometimes say "I can spot a Brotherhood spy from a thousand yards. Even the cute ones." ** While having Raul Tejada as a companion, a Boomer will sometimes say "Never seen a ghoul this close up before. Not sure that I've wanted to." ** While having ED-E as a companion, Boomers and even the Mister Gutsies might say, "I can take care of that robot problem for you. Just saying." or, "Did you know you have a robot following you?" ** While having Craig Boone as a companion, several Boomers including Argyll and even some Mister Gutsies might say, "Once a republican, always a republican." * Once the Boomers are turned hostile via combat (even after completing Volare! or having Idolized reputation), they will never become friendly to the Courier again. This is because the Courier's reputation with them will drop to the lowest rank possible (like Idolized to Wild Child or Liked to Soft-Hearted Devil). * If the Courier has already entered the Boomers territory via the train service tunnel (which requires two "very hard" lockpicks either side), and the Boomers have already fired upon their location, upon trying to enter the Boomers territory via the most common route - past the NPC which gives the Courier an optional route to get past the artillery - the Boomers will begin to fire upon the Courier from this location, and will fire at them from a considerably large distance away; should the Courier choose to run. Additionally, fast traveling to the main gates, or walking through the main gates will result in them firing upon the Courier, even if they run back through the gates, the guards that were "zeroed on you" when the Courier first enters will be blown up by the artillery. To avoid this, simply do not enter through the train service tunnel. * Before becoming Accepted, the Boomers will speak to the player character as if they're Shunned or Hated by them due to their xenophobic nature. * If one has gained a reputation with them (whether good or bad) it will not reset to neutral if the player character equips a faction armor. * Even if the player character idolized with the Boomers, the doctor will not provide them any medical attention, saying that he needs any supplies left to treat the wounded. * If the Courier leaves while Pete is telling the history of the Boomers, their reputation with the Boomers slightly decreases. Behind the scenes The Boomers were created by John Gonzalez.